Disney in late August

[zachary5]

I am planning on bringing my family of five to Disney for the first time in August 2003. My question is in regards to accomodations. Where can a family of five (one teenager, two under 10) stay on a budget? I have thought about the Wilderness Campground with a cabin but what are the bugs like then? The heat doesn't bother me but I don't want the kids to only remember the bugs.

Also, I know it is cheaper to stay outside Disney but is it "worth" spending the extra money to stay inside Disney in order to get that Disney aura?

Any suggestions?

 

[BostonTigger]

Hey zachary5, welcome to the Dis. I know you're going to get a lot of great tips from these boards....you're also going to get addicted. Well I would check out the All-Star resorts. Also check out www.mousesavers.com for codes. Codes are discounts Disney puts out and this is a great site for them. I've never stayed at the camp grounds, but if you have a camper trailer then that might be ok. Hopefully someone with more experience with the campgrounds will chime in on that one.


Good luck and welcome,
Steven

 

[grinningghost]

I had a friend who stayed at the Wilderness Cabins and I don't recall her making any mention of bugs there. She loved it. We always go in summer and I honestly have never seen a bug anywhere on WDW property that I can remember - and I hate bugs, so I don't think I'd forget that. I do remember almost stepping on a snake at Blizzard Beach though.

Staying on-site is definitely worth it for the "aura".

 

[bjakmom]

Welcome to the Dis ! It's been 10 years since we've stayed at FW - back in the day when the cabins were mobile homes - stayed there 3 times - all in June or July - twice with our 3 kids, earlier trip with 2 of mine, my sis and her 2. We loved it - the kids all shared the back bedroom - adults slept on the murphy bed in the living room. Having a kitchen saved us lots of $, having 2 rooms gave us some privacy, the kids had an "outside" to play in and explore - we even loved the feeling of leaving the crowded parks behind at the end of a busy day. The only down side I remember was that transportation could be a bit slow - but maybe that's improved.
DS and I spent 4 days at BWV, 4 days at AKL this past Aug (last week) and we never saw a single bug - and we spent lots of time on our balcony and at the pool - between the heat and the afternoon rains maybe they hibernate in Aug! Crowds were low, though - lots of lovely visitors from UK - some of the nicest people I have shared the parks with in years ! - we had a blast !!

 

[stacy6552]

The Ft Wildreness cabins are your best bet, finantially. We went in August and stayed at OKW. A home away from home resort is a must in the heat. Stay on property too. You want the convienence of being able to lunch and break in the afternoons and then run back over to the parks for dinner and stay until the parks close. Its a great way to beat the heat. If you stay off property you wont feel as free to take heat/crowd breaks. If you can afford more, you might want to opt for another home away from home for better pools, since your kids are older. but Ft Wildreness will be a great choice anyway.

 

[loriandmatt]

First off - welcome to the DIS.
Second - "budget" means different things to different people. I will give you my take on things and you can take it for what it's worth.

I would find a room at the All Stars great for a family of 4, but perhaps a bit crowded for a family of 5. (you need to decide that one for yourself - it's about the size of the adverage HoJo's room.) They are a great value though if you feel the room size is appropriate for you.

There are some nice off site places that have kid's suites and you may be able to get a deal on pricing in late August as many schools are heading back. I prefer to stay onsite - but off site and affordable is better than onsite and stressing over the cash. Research the pricing you can get inside and out for when you want to go. If the pricing is the same or close - go with staying onsite. You more than likely will thank yourself for it.

We prefer to stay at FW. (the campground) We have a camper (just a small popup) and it proves to be the most economical for us. We are able to bring along our small fridge or a cooler - we swing by a local store for some food items and keep our snack and light meal costs down. There are mosquitos in Florida - but just pack some bug spray and you should be fine in the campground. (they are nothing like the blood hungry mosquitos that have attacked me while camping here in PA and NJ!) I have never noticed them in the parks. Other bugs have never been an issue. (Love bugs don't bite, can be a bother, but not a big deal) The heat will be considerable, but if you camp at all or study up a bit, it can be managed. (fans - air conditioner - reflective blankets on the tent ends....some or all of these can help immensely when camping in heat.)
The cabins at FW are very nice, but in my opinion they are just as expensive or more expensive than two rooms at the All Stars. (remember - "bargin" and "budget" are very relative terms.)

I encourage you to stick to your planning as August will be here before you know it. This place is a great place to ask any and all questions.

Good Luck and i hope you enjoy your trip!

- lori